The Golden Rule – Author:Lauren Gulley

From a very young age most people are taught some form or version of the “Golden Rule”, essentially that one should treat others as one would like others to treat oneself. This code to live by has been pressed upon me through my parents and relatives, religion, and schoolteachers throughout my life. The Golden Rule serves as an ethical code for everyday living. It suggests that the relationship between you and other people is a reciprocal and equal relationship; both parties are responsible for their treatment of the other. Similar to this is the concept of karma, cause and effect – you get what you deserve. If you treat others poorly it will come back to you, and the same if you treat others nicely.

The Golden Rule doesn’t just apply to everyday life; some have even argued that this code is the most important basis of the concept of human rights. Every person has the right to be treated justly while they also have the responsibility to make sure everyone else is treated in the same manner. Now what does this have to do with the Ethics of Science? Well, everything. In all of the case studies presented throughout our course (Human Radiation and Syphilis experiments, the Stanford Prison Experiment, Atomic Energy and Nuclear Power, the Challenger Disaster, the Tobacco debate and Lead Poisoning) it seems the scientists had forgotten the Golden Rule, or they just didn’t value it. What caused them to overlook something instilled in us from the very beginning? Fame, fortune, passion, among other reasons… but it is hard for me to understand the ease these people had in so readily throwing their most basic moral to the wayside.

Personally, in my everyday life when debating an action that will affect others, my first thought is “would I want someone to do this to me or one of my loved ones?” or something along those lines. The answer to that question greatly influences my decisions. If only the scientists involved in the above controversies had asked themselves this question, perhaps it could have saved pain and suffering to those affected not to mention their own personal embarrassment of being remembered on the “wrong side”. Now obviously, these are all cases in which it is now accepted the scientists acted unethically, but there are plenty in which it isn’t so clear-cut. Determining where to draw the line between scientific or technologic advancement and ethical treatment of subjects is very dicey, and from history – easy to cross. The scientists involved in the Human Radiation experiments knew that the effects of radiation needed to be studied because of the development of the atom bomb and increased radiation exposure in the population so their motives weren’t bad. However, how they went about it was just wrong; from not obtaining consent from their subjects to covering up and hiding the experiments altogether.

Thankfully, we are able to gain experience and insight from history and make sure it does not repeat itself. Now, as I am entering into the scientific community I am most likely going to come across situations with ethical grey areas and the most important thing I have taken away from the study of past scientific ethical controversies is to continue to listen to that voice inside of my head and never to mute it.